No More Delays

There will be no postponement of plans to put forward an outline for the future status of Kosovo to the UN Security Council by the end of the month, the UN envoy for the Kosovo talks Martti Ahtisaari said in an interview published in the Financial Times on Tuesday.

Discussions of a plan for the region were due to commence in Vienna. However, the private Beta news agency reported on Monday that Belgrade wanted to postpone further talks by 10 days, until after Serbia forms a new parliament. Serbian President Boris Tadic announced after a special all-party meeting, the country's leaders decided not to take part in the talks until the new parliament convenes.

Serbian elections were held on Jan. 21 and a new parliament is expected to be inaugurated in the coming days, followed by the formation of a new government and the creation of a new Serbian negotiating team for Kosovo.

Tomislav Nikolic, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party that won most votes in the poll, said "there can be no negotiations in Vienna as there is no one to negotiate (with)."

"Tadic should go to Vienna and ask for negotiations to be halted until Serbia forms a parliament, a new government and a negotiating team," said Nikolic after three hours of talks between the parliamentary parties.

The president's office later issued a statement saying Tadic was calling for the "urgent constitution of the Serbian parliament... which would take a stance on Ahtisaari's proposal."

Independence in all but name

Ahtisaari delivered his plan for Kosovo to Belgrade and Pristina on Feb. 2. and western diplomats have begun a series of talks with key parties in a bid to win support for the plan, which avoids the word independence but offers Kosovo self-governance, a constitution, anthem and flag.

The proposal was welcomed by the leaders of the Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority when it was published, however leaders in Serbia, however, were united in their strong opposition to the Ahtisaari plan, which they said violated the territorial integrity of the country.

Ahtisaari offered his proposal after nine months of talks last year between Serbia and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leaders proved fruitless. In the negotiations, Pristina had sought nothing less than independence, but Belgrade was only prepared to offer broad autonomy.

Postponing talks is pointless

"If somebody asks for more time, I ask them: 'Will it make any difference to your views?' I don't think giving more time will make much difference," former Finnish prime minister Martti Ahtisaari told the Financial Times.

In Pristina, earlier on Feb. 5, the ethnic Albanian negotiation team confirmed that it would attend the talks. Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, who chairs the negotiating team, "replied today by a letter positively" to Ahtisaari, the team's spokesman Skender Hyseni told reporters, referring to the envoy's invitation for further talks.

Ahtisaari also said he was pleased that the six nations making up the Contact Group dealing with Kosovo -- the United States, Russia, Britain, Germany, France and Italy -- were unanimous in at least taking the question to the Security Council.

"There may be nuances. But it's encouraging that they are acting together," Ahtisaari told the FT.

Though formally still part of Serbia, Kosovo has been run by a UN mission since 1999, after a NATO bombing campaign forced Serbian forces to withdraw following a violent offensive against ethnic Albanian civilians.

Kosovo in crisis

The region has been in limbo for eight years. Unemployment stands at 40-45 percent and is rising; around half its people live below the poverty line and annual per capita income is the lowest in the region at around 1,250 euros ($1,615).

There are concerns that further delays in settlement of Kosovo's future could lead to violence, as tensions reach breaking point.

"Real problems can emerge when the people start to think with their stomachs," journalist and economic analyst Ibrahim Rexhepi told AFP. "A social explosion is possible because leaders will no longer be in a position to give promises on independence to placate and pacify the tense province's two million people."

"Independence will help us," Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku told AFP in January. "The undefined status was a big obstacle to tackling the economic challenges and issues. Kosovo is going to be an economically valuable and economically sustainable country."

Leader in Belgrade remain united in their opposition to independence for Kosovo.

Following any upcoming Vienna talks, the Ahtisaari plan could be amended before being submitted to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, possibly in March, then going before the UN Security Council for final approval.